Despegando Las Capas (Peeling Back the Layers)
Faced with threats from British America, Spain, El Mundo del Fuego Azul, El Fomento, and traitors from within, our heroes must decide which threat must be eliminated the most urgently. Since the traidores ''in Gran Colombia seem to have been mostly defeated, to say nothing of the fact that dealing with El Mundo del Fuego Azul might be too risky, Supamaanz suggests that allying Gran Colombia with France against the newly independent Spain might yield some results. President Juárez and the rest of the group agree that this is the wisest course of action and he then teleports the heroes to Rascar Cápac's quarters in order to update him on recent events and the decided course of action; Cápac is all too happy to visit some revenge on the descendants of the vile Conquistadores and freely comes along to France with the rest of the group. President Juárez teleports the heroes - including La Mística - a safe distance away from the Palace of Versailles that they won't be noticed. As it happens, Napoléon III is attending an afternoon military parade intended to demonstrate the improved military might of the French Army, especially in light of the Second Reconquista in Spain. Our heroes stand in awe in the background as the parade begins with a very strident, heroic, and impassioned rendition of ''La Marseillaise. They then witness heroic military manoeuvres, new artillery equipment being fired, and new military tactics being utilised. Impressed, the heroes approach Napoléon III - a very tall, strong man with an undeniable presence - and his retinue. Before speaking to him, though, they agree not to reveal President Juárez's teleportation ability unless and until Napoléon III admits that there are such people among the French as well. Supamaanz, President Juárez, and El Tigre de Plata decide to strike up a conversation with Napoléon III. Supamaanz is the first to speak, mentioning how impressed he is with the military display and hoping that Gran Colombia can ally itself with France in order to defeat their mutual enemy, Spain. Somewhat shocked by their presence and a bit sceptical about Gran Colombia's ability to help, Napoléon III asks how they got there. Juárez is reluctant to show his hand as per the discussion between the heroes, so Supamaanz replies that they have certain means. Intrigued, Napoléon III admits that there are people with the power of teleportation among the French and asks which of the heroes has that power. Juárez then admits that he is the one to have brought the heroes thousands of miles away from their native lands. A temporary alliance is then formed between France and Gran Colombia, for the purpose of bringing down King Juan Gabriel of Spain and bringing Spain back under the control of France. El Tigre de Plata, Rascar Cápac, and El Enigma suggest that assaulting the palace directly will not accomplish the goal of bringing down King Juan Gabriel; Napoléon III and President Juárez agree, and the heroes - escorted by teleporters in the French Army - land just outside of Madrid with appropriate courtier disguises, whilst President Juárez presumably remains with his new French allies. The heroes put their disguises on, and Rascar Cápac - demonstrating his newly discovered power of illusion - transforms his countenance from Incan to Spaniard in order to blend into the background more readily. The French teleporters bring the heroes inconspicuously just outside the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) in Madrid. El Enigma's nun disguise and Supamaanz's courtier disguise are enough to allow them to enter into the Palacio Real unnoticed, whilst the remainder of the party successfully disguise themselves as palace guards - for the moment. El Enigma and Supamaanz make their way further into the Palacio Real, and they make some important discoveries - and potential new allies as well. They manage to enter a long-forgotten passageway - still semi-lit for traditional and sentimental reasons - that was once used to bring food to the Monarch directly from the kitchen. They keep walking until they hear a heated discussion between the corpulent King Juan Gabriel, his son the Prince, and a senior general in the Spanish Army (the latter two are far more physically fit than the former). King Juan Gabriel insists that it's time to strike Gran Colombia and regain the lost colonies for the glory of Spain. The Prince and the general both advise him that this is a bad idea given that France is still next door and still enough of a threat to which Spain needs to pay attention. King Juan Gabriel dismisses their concerns as trivial and declares that France is too weak to recapture Spain. The general, risking the ire of the King, reiterates his concerns and reminds the King that the Second Reconquista was arduous and not as straightforward as some would like to remember; the Prince agrees, having fought in the Second Reconquista alongside his father and having seen the difficulties first-hand. Becoming more irate than even the general predicted, King Juan Gabriel threatens to execute both of them for their insolence in questioning him. Six armed palace guards arrive at the King's behest, but the Prince stabs one of them with a dagger and the general shoots another with his rifle - or so the viewing audience may reasonably infer, given the stabbing and shooting gestures and sounds, to say nothing of the unmistakable sound of two bodies dropping to the floor. Deciding that the King is incompetent and that allies can be made of the Prince and the general, Supamaanz and El Enigma enter the room. The King demands to know who these mysterious strangers are, to which Supamaanz replies, "Your doom!" Before any further fighting takes place, El Enigma and Supamaanz reassure the Prince and the general that all four of them are on the same side against the incompetent, foolhardy King Juan Gabriel. Expedient introductions are made, and our two heroes learn that they are fighting alongside Prince Felipe (the King's long-suffering son) and military strategist General Francisco. Supamaanz and El Enigma dispatch with two of the remaining guards rather quickly, Supamaanz with his fearless fists and El Enigma with her power of doppelganger-illusion to trick her enemies. General Franco takes care of another guard with his rifle, and Prince Felipe manages to stagger another guard. The fighting seems to be all but over, and El Enigma privately sidles up to General Francisco and starts chatting to him... ...Meanwhile, El Tigre de Plata, Rascar Cápac, and La Mística pretend to stand guard with the other palace guards, when they spot General López - also known to them as El Machete for his prowess with machetes - walking into the Palacio Real with his two minions, Miguel Luis and Jorge. El Machete stops a moment and shoots a glaring look of recognition at El Tigre de Plata, angrily demanding, "¿Qué haces aquí?" (What are you doing here?), to which El Tigre de Plata replies, "I could ask you the same thing,'' traidor''!" Recognising El Machete for the traidor criollo (Criollos are Latin Americans of pure Spanish ancestry) he is, Rascar Cápac then reveals his true face, declaring, "I'm here to exact revenge for the wrongs done to my ancestors!" Incensed by their insolence, El Machete runs behind El Tigre de Plata at seemingly lightning speed, slicing him with two machetes; fortunately, because of his muscles upon muscles, El Tigre de Plata barely feels a scratch and perhaps a bit of draft for his clothing having been torn somewhat. Jorge then attempts to shoot Rascar Cápac but misses by a wide margin. Miguel Luis then shoots El Tigre de Plata in the shoulder, at which El Tigre de Plata lets out a pained "¡Uy!" although fortunately the bullet didn't penetrate any further than the flesh. El Tigre de Plata delivers an impressive, forceful punch to Miguel Luis, staggering him. Meanwhile, La Mística floats away, staying out of the fighting. Rascar Cápac runs at Jorge and socks him in the jaw, staggering him and eliciting a tortured "¡Uyyyy!" El Machete again runs behind El Tigre de Plata, and again more of El Tigre de Plata's clothing is torn by El Machete, causing him to feel a draft and some scratches. Jorge runs at Rascar Cápac and delivers a revenge punch, then backs away. Meanwhile, Miguel Luis attempts a running jump in order to grab the aerodynamic La Mística but falls flat on his face into the dirt. Tiring of the ineffectual slashes, El Tigre de Plata turns around and delivers a belting roundhouse kick to El Machete's face, staggering him, whilst at the same time readying a defence for El Machete's attacks. Rascar Cápac then does another running punch straight to Jorge's head, incapacitating him. Frustrated by El Tigre de Plata's toughness and fighting prowess, El Machete attempts to run behind El Tigre de Plata, who manages to knock the machetes out of El Machete's hands. Miguel Luis then goes after El Tigre de Plata but fails to shoot accurately, even from prone position. El Tigre de Plata notices that El Machete has mysteriously recovered from having been staggered moments earlier and redoubles his efforts, delivering a flying kick to El Machete's head that knocks him out cold. Under the impression that the battle is almost won, La Mística gingerly floats back to the scene. Meanwhile, Rascar Cápac knocks Miguel Luis out. Their battle seems to be won... ...until the real outside guards of the Palacio Real turn up en masse, having heard the fighting outside! Twenty of them have rifles aimed at Rascar Cápac, El Tigre de Plata, and La Mística. The Chief Guard growls, "¡Venid con nosotros!" (Castilian Spanish: "Come with us, all of you!") TO BE CONTINUED